


Pie

by KestrelShrike



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Baking, F/M, Fluff, Jaal can't bake, Mildly naughty, Pie, The Tempest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-12 07:44:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10485789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KestrelShrike/pseuds/KestrelShrike
Summary: Another utterly silly idea, based loosely on the letters Sahuna sends you as your relationship with Jaal progresses. As always, comments are very, very appreciated, and suggestions for future story ideas are welcome at my tumblr, kestrelsansjesses. I'm debating starting a longer series that goes more deeply into the political implications of what romancing an Angara would mean to a human Pathfinder, and I would love to know if this is something people want to see!





	

The Tempest smelled like burning. “Ryder, I suggest you go to the kitchens area. The smoke detectors are going off. I have temporarily disabled them, as it appears there is no actual fire.” It was impossible to tell what tone SAM really intended, but Wren Ryder was tempted to say her implant was being dry. 

Rubbing at a crick in her neck, Ryder stood, grateful for the opportunity to step away from emails. Get declared Pathfinder and save the galaxy and they still gave you a mountain of paperwork to complete, a small hill for every action you had ever taken. In an ideal world, her ship wouldn’t be on fire, but as she had swiftly discovered, there were no ideal worlds. Either way, a distraction was a distraction, and she thought there was smoke filtering in between her doors. 

“Whoever is lighting my ship on fire better have a damn good explanation.” Stepping out of her room, Ryder swung into the kitchen, only to stop in the doorway. Suvi she would have expected. Vetra wouldn’t have been a surprise, and it wouldn’t be the first time Peebee had managed to light something on fire. Jaal, though- Jaal was a surprise. He subsisted almost entirely on nutrient pastes formulated specially for a specialized Angaran digestive system, supplemented by treats from Aya when the Tempest managed to swing by. He did not, as far as Ryder knew, ever go into the kitchen and actually cook things. Maybe this was why. 

“Ah, my dearest one! Close your eyes. I have a surprise for you.” Against all better instincts, Ryder closed her eyes, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. The surprise would hopefully include cleaning up after himself. 

A plate was placed in her hands. “Open them!” Looking down, Ryder saw… It was supposed to be a pie, maybe, if pies were generally blackened and flaking and currently letting off an alarming amount of gray smoke. 

“My True Mother, Sahuna, sent me the recipe. She was told that this is a favorite treat of humans.” Clearly anxious, Jaal looked to her for approval, making a face that it was difficult to say ‘no’ to. “The… ‘filling’ is made of an Angaran fruit you can only find on Aya. It was difficult keeping it a secret.” 

“While the fruit isn’t poisonous, Ryder, I cannot tell you if it will suit human tastebuds or not,” SAM said in her head, answering at least one question she had. There was nothing left but to try; it was better than disappointing Jaal by refusing to eat it at all. 

Trying not to grimace, Ryder took a heaping forkful and shoved it into her mouth. It definitely taste like burnt- an acrid taste that made her want to gang. Underlying it, however, was a pleasant, almost tropical flavor that wasn’t half bad, if you ignored how badly overcooked it was. On its own, it would probably be pretty good. In this burnt shell of a pastry, it was barely palatable. “It’s… interesting,” she finally concluded, swallowing the bite past the lump in her throat that demanded she spit it back out. 

“You do not like it,” Jaal was quick to rely, disappointing creasing his face. 

“No, no, it’s not that! It’s just a little overdone. How long did you leave it in the oven?” 

“The recipe said an hour. I did another thirty minutes, just to be safe.” Ah, well, that would explain it. 

Carefully putting the pie down on the counter, Ryder opened her arms. “Come here, Jaal.” He was so full of feelings and emotions at all times, while she struggled to show anything beyond the sarcastic front the galaxy had gotten to know so well. Here though, within the Tempest, she felt safe, her guard relaxing. 

They stepped into the safety of one another’s arms, holding each other for a long moment. “Jaal, I love you. You’re unique and strange and I don’t know that I’ll ever understand you, but you can’t bake worth a damn, and that’s okay. You have other talents.” 

His head rested atop her own for a minute, lips kissing the crown of her head and breath ruffling her hair. “You must remind me what those are, darling one.” This, at least, she could do.


End file.
